Conveyor guiding and anchoring props for mining installations

ABSTRACT

A mineral mining installation composed of a conveyor having a drive station arranged in a cross-heading passage or roadway extending perpendicularly to said conveyor and a beam extending beneath the drive station and generally perpendicular to the conveyor. The beam is connected to roof support units at its ends and an L-shaped guide plate has one arm slideably mounted on the beam and pivotably connected to the drive station. Piston and cylinder units are connected between the guide plate and the beam so as to be capable of displacing the drive station along the beam. The guide plate has its other arm extending alongside the drive station and parallel to the conveyor. On this other arm is slidably mounted a guide piece which is connected to a roof support unit via a piston and cylinder unit.

ilnited States Patent 1 Linke et al.

[ 51 Apr. 10, 1973 CONVEYOR GUIDING AND ANCHORING PROPS FOR MINING INSTALLATIONS [75] Inventors: I Iorst Linke, Lunen; Herbert Beyer,

Werne, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia,

Westfalia, Germany [22] Filed: July 16, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 163,308

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 22, 1970 Germany ..P 20 46 624.4

[52] U.S. Cl. ..61/45 D, 299/32 [51 Int. Cl. ..E2ld 23/04 [58] Field of Search ..299/11, 31, 32, 34; 61/45 D [56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 249,442 4/ 1964 Netherlands ..6 l /45 D Primary Examiner-Emest R. Purser AttorneyRichard C. Sughrue et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A mineral mining installation composed of a conveyor having a drive station arranged in a cross-heading passage or roadway extending perpendicularly to said conveyor and a beam extending beneath the drive station and generally perpendicular to the conveyor. The beam is connected to roof support units at its ends and an L-shaped guide plate has one arm slideably mounted on the beam and pivotably connected to the drive station. Piston and cylinder units are connected between the guide plate and the beam so as to be capable of displacing the drive station along the beam. The guide plate has its other arm extending alongside the drive-station and parallel to the conveyor. On this other arm is slidably mounted a guide piece which is connected to a roof support unit via a piston and cylinder unit.

12 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure CONVEYOR GUIDING AND ANCHORING PROPS FOR MINING INSTALLATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to mineral mining installations and more particularly to improved means for anchoring the drive station of a scraper chain conveyor at a cross-heading passage.

It is known to anchor a conveyor with a roof support assembly composed of two relatively movable support frames each consisting of a number of telescopic props disposed between a floor rail and a roof girder.

It is also known to connect a beam to the conveyor and to couple this beam to piston and cylinder units in turn connected to roof support frames. These units can thus be braced against the support frames to clamp the conveyor. With this arrangement the piston and cylinder units and the clamping beam are disposed at the goaf or stowage side of the conveyor and take up a relatively small amount of space.

In general, special measures have to be adopted where the drive station of the conveyor has to be anchored at a cross-heading passage.

There is a need for an improved anchoring means adapted to anchor a conveyor and its drive station at a cross-heading passage but which enables the conveyor to be shifted and re-orientated and which enables normal roof support units to be installed along the goaf side of the conveyor and in the cross-heading passage.

A general object of this invention is to provide such an improved anchoring means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect the invention provides means for guiding and anchoring a mineral mining conveyor; said means comprising a beam located at one end of the conveyor so as to extend generally perpendicularly to said conveyor from both sides thereof, roof support units operably linked to said beam, guide means for slidably and pivotably supporting the conveyor on the beam, and a further roof support unit displaceable in relation to said beam and connected to said guide means.

The guide means is preferably in the form of a guide plate with one arm connected to said beam for slidable movement longitudinally thereof and pivotably connected to said conveyor and another arm operably connected to said further support unit. The pivotal connection between the guide plate and the conveyor can be constituted by an upright pivot pin connected to the frame of the drive station for the conveyor. There may additionally be provided a guide piece slidably connected to the arm of the guide plate which is associated with the further support unit. The further support unit may be connected to said guide piece via a piston and cylinder unit extending substantially parallel to said beam.

A piston and cylinder unit can be connected between the guide plate and the guide piece to effect relative displacement therebetween. It is preferable to allow the guide means to pivot or move laterally to a limited extent, e.g. determined bystop means in relation to the beam in addition to the slidable mobility.

To enable the conveyor to be shifted transversally to its longitudinal direction a further piston and cylinder unit is connected between the beam and the one arm of the guide plate at each side of the conveyor, the further piston and cylinder units extending substantially parallel to the first-mentioned piston and cylinder unit.

Particular advantage attaches to a design in which the guide plate is L-shaped in plan view with the further support unit connected via a piston and cylinder unit to one limb of the L which extends parallel to the stowage or goaf side of the conveyor, while the other limb of the L extends approximately parallel to the beam and drive station of the conveyor.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the beam has a connecting device at each of its ends, said connecting devices serving to pivotably connect said beam with said support units.

Each of these connecting devices has linkages for attachment to support units disposed longitudinally of the beam and transversely of the beam.

Preferably at least one of said support units disposed transversally of the beam is effectively connected to the beam via a piston and cylinder unit operably to pivot the beam relative to the conveyor.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided a mineral mining installation comprising in combination; a scraper chain conveyor disposed alongside a mineral face; a drive station arranged at one end of said conveyor and located within a cross-heading passage; a beam extending within the cross-heading passage generally perpendicular to the conveyor and projecting from both sides of the drive station; a guide plate slidably mounted on said beam and pivotably connected to said drive station; a piston and cylinder unit connected between the guide plate and the beam at each side of the drive station; a guide piece slidably mounted on said guide plate for movement generally parallel to the conveyor; a roof support unit; a piston and cylinder unit connected between the guide piece and said support unit; and further roof support units connected to the ends of the beam.

The anchoring means to which the invention relates is characterized by its space-saving design and constructional simplicity as will become apparent hereinafter.

The invention may be understood more readily and various other aspects and features of the invention may become apparent from consideration of the following.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with'reference to the accompanying drawing which is a plan view of a mining installation made in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawing a coal mining installation is composed of a scraper chain conveyor 11 disposed alongside a coal face 10 and having an end which adjoins a cross-heading passage or roadway extending perpendicular thereto. A similar cross-heading passage and apparatus to be described hereinafter can be disposed at the other end of the conveyor 11. The conveyor 11 can be shifted transversally to its longitudinal direction towards the face 10, as shown by arrow R, in accordance with the progress of winning coal from the 1 1 and joined thereto with the aid of a channel member 16.

A drum 13 is rotatably mounted between the side plates of the frame 12 and serves to drive the scraperchain assembly of the conveyor 11. To this end the drum 13 is operably connected to a motor 14 via gearing 15 contained in a housing adjoining the side plate of the frame 12 on the goaf or stowage side of the conveyor 11.

The actual removal of coal from the face is effected by means of a plough omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity. The plough is movable back and fourth along the side of the conveyor 11 adjacent the face 10. The plough is moved in this manner with the aid of a chain driven by a motor 17 via gearing 18. The motor 17 and gearing 18 are disposed on the face side of the frame 12 and again within the cross-heading passage.

An anchoring means for the conveyor 11 is also disposed within the cross-heading passage. This anchoring means is composed of a beam 19 extending beneath the frame 12 and having connecting devices at its ends. Each such connecting device has a plate 20, 20' with linkages 21, 21 As shown the linkages 21 extend downwardly of the plates 20, 20' relative to the cross-heading passage whereas the linkages 21' extend transversally of the cross-heading passage and towards the conveyor 11. The linkages 21 pivotably interconnect with corresponding linkages attached to support units A,B. Each unit A.B has a floor rail 23, a roof cap (not shown) and hydraulically actuated telescopic props 22 disposed between the rail 23 and the roof cap.

Guide means in the form of an L-shaped bearing plate 30 is operably associated with the beam 19. The plate 30 has one arm 30' extending parallel to the beam 19 and slidably guided thereon in a longitudinal direction. At the center of the arm 30' there is provided a pivot pin 31 which pivotably interconnects the frame 12 and the plate 30. The plate 30 is actually transversally movable relative to the beam 19 to a limited extend defined by stop means in this example composed of upright bolts 43 disposed in slots within the arm 30' of the plate 30. The plate 30 has its other arm 30" extending towards the goaf side of the conveyor 11. A guide piece 32 is slidably mounted on the arm 30" in a longitudinal direction of the latter so as to slide in the direction of arrow S and counterwise. A piston and cylinder unit 33 is operably connected between the guide piece 32 and the arm 30" of the plate 30; the cylinder of the unit 33 being connected to an abutment 34 formed on the arm 30". As the unit 33 is pressurized or discharged the guide piece 32 can be made to move in the direction of arrow S or counterwise.

Two double-acting piston and cylinder units 41 have their cylinders pivotably connected to the plates 20,20, their pistons pivotably connected to the plate 30 by means of upstanding pivot pins 42.

The linkage 21 depicted at the upper part of the drawing is pivotably interconnected to a support unit C via a guide plate itself pivotably relative to the unit C. The support unit C again is composed of a floor rail and a roof cap but only a single prop 24 is disposed between these parts of the unit C. Between the prop 24 and the guide plate 25 there is operably disposed a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 26. The unit 26 has its cylinder connected to a lateral extension 27 of the plate 25 and its piston rod attached to an extension 28 connected to the unit C. The plate 25 has a further lateral extension also denoted 27 and if required a further piston and cylinder unit 26 can be utilized.

Although not shown in the drawing the linkage 21 at the lower part of the drawing could be connected to a similar support unit and structure as just described.

A guide rail 36 is pivotably connected to the guide piece 32 referred to previously so as to pivot about a horizontal pivot pin 35. The rail 36 is connected to a support unit D having a total of four props 37 arranged in two groups each with a floor rail 38 and a roof bar (not shown) therebetween. The rail 36 extends between the two groups of props 37. A double-acting piston and cylinder unit 39 has its cylinder attached to the unit D and its piston rod connected to the guide piece 32. The arm 30" of the plate 30 could be extended and operably connected to a number of separate roof support units via piston and cylinder units, i.e., as just described.

OPERATION The unit 26 can be pressurized with the prop 24 set against the roof of the mine working to move the beam 19 about the pin 31.

The unit 33 can be pressurized with the props 37 set against the roof to displace the plate 30 in relation to the beam 19 (arrow S) to an exten dependent on the stop means 43 to thereby brace the conveyor 11.

The units 41 can be operated 'to displace the plate 30, the frame 12 and the conveyor 11 relative to the beam 19 so as to advance the conveyor 11 in the direction of arrow R. The unit 39 can also assist in shifting the frame 12. in known manner the support unit D would act as an abutment and can be caused to follow up the conveyor 11 together with the beam 19 after the conveyor 11 has been shifted by lowering the props 37 and operating the units 41, 39 in the opposite sense to when the conveyor 11 was shifted.

It should be understood that the above described embodiment is illustrative of the invention only and is not intended to be limitive. Thus various modifications may occur to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Means for guiding and anchoring a mineral mining conveyor comprising: a beam located at one end of the conveyor so as to extend generally perpendicularly to said conveyor from both sides thereof; roof support units operably linked to said beam; guide means for slidably and pivotably supporting the conveyor on the beam; and a further roof support unit displaceable in relation to said beam and connected to said guide means; said guide means comprising a guide plate with one arm connected to said beam for slidable movement longitudinally thereof and pivotably connected to said conveyor and another arm operably connected to said further support unit.

2. Means according to claim 1, wherein there is further provided a guide piece slidably connected to said another arm, the further support unit being connected to said guide piece via a piston and cylinder unit extending substantially parallel to said beam.

3. Means according to claim 2, and further comprising another piston and cylinder unit disposed between said another arm and said, guide piece and extending substantially parallel to said another arm.

4. Means according to claim 2, wherein a further piston and cylinder unit is connected between the beam and the one arm of the guide plate at each side of the conveyor, the further piston and cylinder units extending substantially parallel to the first-mentioned piston and cylinder unit.

5. Means according to claim 1, wherein said one arm can move laterally of said beam to an extent defined by stop means. i

6. Means according to claim 1, wherein the guide plate is L-shaped with said one and another arms forming the limbs of the L, said another arm of said plate being connected to said further support unit via a piston and cylinder unit extending substantially perpendicular to said another arm and being disposed adjacent the goaf side of the conveyor.

7. Means according to claim 6, wherein said one arm of the guide plate is connected to a drive station of the conveyor via a vertical pivot pin and is attached to piston and cylinder units connected to said beam at each side of the drive station.

8. Means according to claim 1, wherein the beam has a connecting device at each of its ends, said connecting devices serving to pivotably connect said beam with said support unit.

9. Means according to claim 8, wherein each of said connecting devices has linkages for attachment to support units disposed longitudinally of the beam and transversally of the beam.

10. Means according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said support units disposed transversally of the beam is effectively connected to the beam via a piston and cylinder unit operably to pivot the beam relative to the conveyor.

11. A mineral mining installation comprising in combination:

a. a scraper chain conveyor disposed alongside a mineral face;

b. a beam located at one end of the conveyor in a cross-heading passage and extending generally perpendicular to said conveyor and from both sides thereof;

. roof support units operably connected to said beam;

. guide means for displaceably supporting the conveyor on the beam, said guide means being in the form of a guide plate with two perpendicular arms, one arm being connected to said beam for slidable movement longitudinally thereof and also pivotably connected to said conveyor; and

a further roof support unit connected to the other of the two arms of said guide plate.

12. Means for guiding and anchoring a mineral mining conveyor; said means comprising a beam located at one end of the conveyor so as to extend generally perpendicularly to said conveyor from both sides thereof roof support units, connecting devices at the ends of the beam for pivotably connecting said units to said beam each of the connecting devices having linkages for attachment to support units disposed longitudinally and transversally of the beam, guide means for slidably and pivotably supporting the conveyor on the beam, a further roof support unit displaceably in relation of said beam and connected to said guide means and a piston and cylinder unit operably to pivot the beam relative to the conveyor and effectively connecting the beam to at least one of said support units disposed transversally of the beam. 

1. Means for guiding and anchoring a mineral mining conveyor comprising: a beam located at one end of the conveyor so as to extend generally perpendicularly to said conveyor from both sides thereof; roof support units operably linked to said beam; guide means for slidably and pivotably supporting the conveyor on the beam; and a further roof support unit displaceable in relation to said beam and connected to said guide means; said guide means comprising a guide plate with one arm connected to said beam for slidable movement longitudinally thereof and pivotably connected to said conveyor and another arm operably connected to said further support unit.
 2. Means according to claim 1, wherein there is further provided a guide piece slidably connected to said another arm, the further support unit being connected to said guide piece via a piston and cylinder unit extending substantially parallel to said beam.
 3. Means according to claim 2, and further comprising another piston and cylinder unit disposed between said another arm and said guide piece and extending substantially parallel to said another arm.
 4. Means according to claim 2, wherein a further piston and cylinder unit is connected between the beam and the one arm of the guide plate at each side of the conveyor, the further piston and cylinder units extending substantially parallel to the first-mentioned piston and cylinder unit.
 5. Means according to claim 1, wherein said one arm can move laterally of said beam to an extent defined by stop means.
 6. Means according to claim 1, wherein the guide plate is L-shaped with said one and another arms forming the limbs of the ''''L,'''' said another arm of said plate being connected to said further support unit via a piston and cylinder unit extending substantially perpendicular to said another arm and being disposed adjacent the goaf side of the conveyor.
 7. Means according to claim 6, wherein said one arm of the guide plate is connected to a drive station of the conveyor via a vertical pivot pin and is attached to piston and cylinder units connected to said beam at each side of the drive station.
 8. Means according to claim 1, wherein the beam has a connecting device at each of its ends, said connecting devices serving to pivotably connect said beam with said support unit.
 9. Means according to claim 8, wherein each of said connecting devices has linkages for attachment to support units disposed longitudinally of the beam and transversally of the beam.
 10. Means according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said support units disposed transversally of the beam is effectively connected to the beam via a piston and cylinder unit operably to pivot the beam relative to the conveyor.
 11. A mineral mining installation comprising in combination: a. a scraper chain conveyor disposed alongside a mineral face; b. a beam located at one end of the conveyor in a cross-heading passage and extending generally perpendicular to said conveyor and from both sides thereof; c. roof support units operably connected to said beam; d. guide means for displaceably supporting the conveyor on the beam, said guide means being in the form of a guide plate with two perpendicular arms, one arm being connected to said beam for slidable movement longitudinally thereof and also pivotably connected to said conveyor; and e. a further roof support unit connected to the other of the two arms of said guide plate.
 12. Means for guiding and anchoring a mineral mining conveyor; said means comprising a beam located at one end of the conveyor so as to extend generally perpendicularly to said conveyor from both sides thereof, roof support units, connecting devices at the ends of the beam for pivotably connecting said units to said beam each of the connecting devices having linkages for attachment to support units disposed longitudinally and transversally of the beam, guide means for slidably and pivotably supporting the conveyor on the beam, a further roof support unit displaceably in relation of said beam and connected to said guide means and a piston and cylinder unit operably to pivot the beam relative to the conveyor and effectively connecting the beam to at least one of said support units disposed transversally of the beam. 